Wheeled cultivator



2 Sheets8heet 1.

(No Model.)

W; P. BROWN.

WHEEL GULTIVATOR.

Patee'd M125, 1887.,

N. PETER8. PMm-Lithngraphar. wumn wn. D. C,

2 Sheets Sheet 2 (N0 Model.)

P. BROWN;

WHEEL OULTIVATOR,

No. 356,613. Patented-Jan 25, 1887 ill I N. PUERS. Piwioblnngrupher, was fin mn D. C.

WILLIAM PQBROW'N, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

WHEELED CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,613, dated January 25, 1887. Applicaiion filed May L, 1855. Serial No. 164,946. (No model.)

To all whoizt it 11mg concern: v

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. Bnowx, of Zanesville, in the county of Muskingum and State of Ohio, have invented certain Iniprovements in \Vheeled Cultivators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has reference to what are commonly known as parallel or flexible wheeled cultivators, which are so constructed as to admit of the two plows or cultivators moving backward and forward independently of each other, each plow being turned parallel to its own horse.

The invention consists in various details of, construction, having in view the automatic backward movement of each wheel as the adjacent plow is elevated in order to secure aproper poise or balance of the machine, the attachment of the springs for lifting the plows to the movable axles in such manner that their relation to and action upon the plows will re main unchanged, notwithstanding the motion of the axle, and to means whereby either end of the axle may be secured against a swinging motion independently of the opposite end.

In the accompanying drawings I have represented a machine having my improvements embodiedtherein in the preferred form; but it is to he distinctly understood that the. improvements may be applied in other forms and to other machines in a manner which will be readily understood by the skilled mechanic without departing from the limits of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of my machine, one of the main wheels being removed to expose other parts to view. Fig. 2 represents'in perspective one end of the main'axle with the plow connecting or coupling devices and the parts adjacent thereto. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts represented in the preceding figure, the axle, sleeve, and coupling being shown in cross-section. Fig. it is a rear face view of the clevis or draft-head.

In the drawings, A represents a rigid hori- Zontal tongue or draft-pole, which may be of any appropriate form and construction; and B, the divided arched axle jointed to the frame and provided at its respective ends with the main or ground wheels O. The axle is composed of two halves, each consisting of an upright portion having the lower end extended horizontally outward to receive the wheel, and the upper end extended horizontally inward into or through the tongue, in which it is loosely seated, so that the lower end may swing forward and backward, thisconstruction permitting each wheel to advance and recede independently of the other and of the tongue or frame.

- The tongue may he provided, as shown, with fixed side plates to form bearings for the ends of the axle, and the latter may be pro vided, as shown, with adj ustahle collars a or equivalent devices, to admit of the axles being adjusted to change and fix the distance be tween the wheels.

On each of the outer lower ends of the axle, inside of the wheel, I mount a rotary sleeve, D, provided with an upright arm, (I, connected by a link, 0, to the lower end of an elevatingspring, L, the upper end of which is bolted rigidly to a plate or projection on the upper part of the axle. The spring tends to turn the sleeve forward and lift the plows, as in various patents heretofore granted to me.

An important feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the lilting-spring is connected to and moves with the swinging axle, so that the changing position of the axle has no effect whatever upon the tension of the spring, which is permitted to act in the same manner and with the same eilcct as with a rigid axle. Against the front side of the sleeve D is seated a plate, E, provided with one or more holes to receive a draft-rod, hereinafter referred to, and against the rear side of the sleeve there is seated a plate, F, forming a hearing for the front face of a forked plate or elevis, G. Two horizontal bolts, H, one above and the other below the axle, are extended through the parts E, F, and G, holding them firmly in place with respect to each other and to the sleeve, which latter is provided with a. longitudinal spline, c, engaging the plate F, so that the entire coupling device is compelled to rotate with the sleeve, while at the same time the loosening of the bolts will permit them to be adjusted lengthwise of the sleeve at will,

in order to vary the distance between the plows.

To the forked plate or clevis G is connected by a vertical eyebolt, J, the forked head or draft device I, to which the plow-beams are rigidly secured.

' The plows are free to swing laterally around the pivot J, and are permitted to rise and fall by the rotation of the entire coupling device about the axle, as usual in this class of implements.

The opposing-faces of the parts F and G are made of circular form withinterlocking teeth or serrations, and the part G is provided with curved slots, through which the bolts pass, as

shown in Figs. 3 and 4, this construction permitting the part G to be tipped or turned laterally in a vertical plane, so as to incline the plow-shovels laterally to the right or left, as occasion may require. The plate or clevis G- and. the draw-head I are each widened laterally and provided with a series of holes to receive the pivot J, this construction permitting the pivotal point to be shifted laterally with respect to the plow and the draft-head, as the nature of the soil or other controlling circumstances may render advisable.

To the upper ends of the respective pivots J, Iattach rods M, extended forward and up ward, and adapted to be connected at will to opposite ends of the evener N, pivoted'centrally to the tongue or to opposite ends of a cross-bar, O, bolted rigidly to the tongue. Owing to this connection it follows that when eitherplowis lifted the end of the axle to which it is attached. and the adjacent wheel thereon are both compelled to move backward, an action which is highly advantageous in that a better balance and poise is secured. The essence of my invention in this regard consists in connecting with the swinging axle and a plow jointed thereto a rod or equivalent controlling device in such manner that the rising motion of the plow will be accompanied by a backward movement of the axle, and it will be manifest to the skilled mechanic that the details may be variously modified to this end.

Owing to the fact that the rods M areattached above the horizontal axes of the plowcouplings, the forward strain of the rods tends to lift the beams and shovels. This lifting motion is resisted to a greater or less extent by the draft-rods, and as the result of these two opposing forces,which vary in relation to each other, the shovels are given a slight rising-and-falling motion, which causes them to scour in a very efficient manner, so that their surfaces are kept clean and in an operative condition. It will be observed, therefore, that the rods M, connecting the evener to the plows orplow-couplings at points eccentric to the axis of the latter, serve the threefold purpose of holding the axle in position so that the machine cannot fall down, of moving the axles forward and backward as the plows are raised and lowered, and of imparting the live action of the shovels in the soil.

I am aware that rods have been extended from an cvcner directly to the opposite independent swinging ends of an axle, and to such construction I lay no claim.

To the ends of the evener or equalizerN are jointed depending arms 0', designed to receive the whiffletrees or other draft devices, and connected at their lower ends by rods P to the plates'E of the coupling. lVhen the rods M are attached to the evener, I secure all theadvantages arising from the use of the ordinary evening or equalizing devices in this class of machines, the draft of the frame being distributed between the two animals,while at the same time eachanimal is compelled to draw. itsown plow and each plow permitted to move freely forward and backward independently of the other. WVhcn, however, the rods M are attachedto the fixed bar, the machine becomes rigid or inflexibleso far as the team is conto said axle to swing vertically, and rods or connections extending from theframe to the plows or plow-couplings at points eccentric to the axis around which the plows swing in rising, whereby the elevation of either plow is caused to produce abackward movement of the axle, and vice versa, therebymaintaining the proper poise or balance of the machine upon its wheels.

2. In combinationwith the tongue, the divided arched axle jointed thereto, the sustaining-wheels, the plows coupled to the axle, the cross-bar or evener, and the rods extended from the plow-couplings to opposite ends of the evener,whereby the rising motion of either 1 plow compels a rearward motion of its axlesection and wheel. a

3. The tongue provided with the bar 0 or similar rigid connection, and with the pivoted evener N, in combination with the dividedarched axle having its parts jointed to the tongue, the plows coupledto the ends of the axle, and the rods M, attached to the plowcouplings and adapted for connectionat will to the bar 0 or the evener, whereby the machine may be rendered flexible or rigid when in action, as occasion may demand.

4. In combination with a tongue or frame, a swinging arched axle jointed thereto,wheels on said axle, plows coupled to the axle, and

detachable rods, substantially as described, to r IIO prevent the swinging motion of the axle, as

circumstances may demand.

5. In combination with a swinging cultiva-.

tor-axle and a plow coupled thereto, a lifting-' spring secured to and movable with the axle, and connected with the plow-couplings, substantially as described, whereby the relation between the spring and plow is maintained as the axle swings to and fro.

6. The tongue or frame, the arched swinging axle jointed thereto, the plow-corfiilings mounted on the axle and provided with the projecting arms, and the spring-arms bolted to the axle and connected to the coupling-arms.

I. The tongue, the cross bar or evener thereon, and the jointed swinging axlennd its wheels, in combination with the ploweonplings adapted to rotate vertically, the plows united to the couplings by vertical pivots, and the rods extending thence to the respective ends of the evenenwhereby the plows are permitted to swing laterally Without affecting the position of the axle, but the letter compelled to swing backward and forward as the plows are raised and lowered.

8, In a. wheeled plow having an axle the two ends of which are provided with wheels and arranged to swing forward and backward independently, plows coupled to said axle, 20

\VILLIAM 1. BROWN. I

Witnesses GEO. L. PADGITT, Hownnn DICKINSON. 

